Obsessao

AllMusic Review
by AllMusic

This album, issued by the DRG label in 1998, presents legendary Portuguese vocalist Amalia Rodrigues supported by a backdrop of just acoustic guitar and zither. The spare setting allows Rodrigues's intense, plaintive voice to carry every song, immersing the listener in her brooding fado sound. Unlike her earliest recordings in Brazil, her vocals here are beautifully weathered and world-weary, giving these melancholy numbers (which are adaptations of Portuguese poems) even more emotional weight. Highlights of this 12-track disc include the dramatic "Que Fazes Ai Lisboa," the chiming "Alma Minha," and the surprisingly breezy "Flor Do Verde Pinho," all of which reinforce Rodrigues's status as the undisputed Queen of Fado. While THE ART OF AMALIA RODRIGUES and its 2005 follow-up are the best overviews of the singer's work, OBSESSAO is one of her finest individual records, and an excellent next step for those seeking to delve further into her decades-spanning catalogue.